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Personalised wrapping paper not only saves you money it can also be an expression of your creativity and a very special part of your gift. Making your own wrapping paper is fun, it can be as simple or as adventurous as you like. The results can be stunning with even the simplest designs.

Choose a strong paper such as white art paper or brown paper. You can make several sheets at a time so you always have some on hand. Roll and secure them then store carefully ready for that next gift.

Design Suggestions

• Place leaves, flowers, paper cutouts, doilies etc on paper using a spray can spray carefully so your items don’t move. Remove the items and allow paint to dry.
• Watered down paint and a drinking straw can make some awesome designs that look very effective. Dip straw into the paint, place your finger over the top of the straw, release over the paper then blow the paint into different directions with the straw.
• Using a wax crayon draw some symmetrical designs or patterns using a small roller paint the paper with a water based paint. The wax crayon design will show through the paint.
• Crumple some paper, make stamps out of sponge or potato dip into paint and use for printing.
• Thin paper down with water and using a roller paint stripes in different colours.

Decorate with ribbon, bows, stickers, glitter, confetti etc …..Have Fun

Polymer clay is an excellent material for oven bake modelling it can be kneaded, rolled and shaped as desired. It can be used to make shapes for stamping and paper crafts, for making beads, buttons and moulds. Polymer clay is a man made material containing polymers, resins, fillers and colouring agents and it is non-toxic. There are several types of polymer clay including Fimo, Premo and Sculpey. Sculpey is soft and pliable and very easy to work with especially for children.

Before working with polymer clay ensure you have clean hands and a clean work surface as it is very absorbent and will pick up colours easily.  Polymer clay can be coloured with paint, ink, chalk, pencils and glitter as well as other media. Once the clay has been kneaded it becomes soft and smooth and ready to shape.  A pasta machine can be used to roll out even flat sheets, a sharp thin blade or craft knife will be needed for cutting shapes When the clay has the desired shape it is ready to be placed in the oven to harden.

It is cured in a normal household oven at around 265 – 275 degrees F (129 – 135 degrees C) for a thickness of 6mm (1/4″in) for 15 mins. After curing it’s size and texture remains the same. Allow the clay to cool completely before it is sanded, painted, drilled or embellished. A clear gloss varnish creates a glazed look over the painted surface.

Wrap unused clay in plastic food wrap and store in a cool place out of direct sunlight.

Children should be supervised as sharp tools and hot ovens are used.

Be creative and have fun.

Tie Dyeing is a fasinating way to dye fabrics in which the design is pre-arranged but somewhat random. By tying the fabric the dye is prevented from reaching certain parts and only reaches gaps between the ties, so creating the pattern. These are called the resists.

Tritik is a refinement of tie dying which is not so random in design. Instead of tying the pattern is worked in stitches which are then gathered before the fabric is dyed. This is easier to control than tie dying and therefore the finished effect is more easily predetermined.

Materials and Equipment

Some of the things needed for this craft are ordinary household items. These include a kettle or saucepan, an iron, a bucket or bowl (plastic is ok for cold water dyes), a tablespoon, a measuring jug, a wooden spoon, soft B pencils and paper for design, tapemeasure or ruler, scissors, elastic bands or string, needles and thread, a stitch unpicker, cooking salt and soda to fix cold dyes, soap liquids, overalls and rubber gloves.

You will need to purchase fabric which should always be white made from natural not man made fibre  (1oo% cotton is the easiest and cheapest).Always wash the fabric before this allows not only for cleaning and removal of any dressings but also for shrinkage.

Nylon, terylene or other strong thread must be used for tretik sewing as ordinary thread snaps too easily.

Cold water dyes are easier and safer to use, they produce good colours and are faster than hot dyes.

This is a simple fun craft that produces excellent results, one that children enjoy (with supervision by an adult). Experiment with designs but most of all have fun.

Beads are extremely versatile and come in many different shapes and sizes. They can be woven or threaded on wire, added as a decoration to other crafts  or used as fringes.

Materials and Equipment

Beading needles are required to thread beads. These are long and fine and bend quite easily. They are available in various sizes from fairly thick to extremely fine. Polyester thread is strong and fine and can be found in a range of colours.

The beads used must depend on the type of fabic with which they are being used – a larger bead for a heavy fabric, a smaller bead for a fine one. There area wide variety of beads available, round, cut and bugle being popular types. There is a wide range of colours and they can be transparent, opaque, pearl or matt.

Work with beads all of the same size and if different types of beads are being used in the same project, make sure they are all threaded in the same order or the pattern may be out of alignment.

An embroidery ring can be used to stretch fabric and give a stable background on which to work. Small containers are essential for keeping beads in while working with them Coloured pencils and squared paper are useful for designs. Other items you may require include scissors, tape measure, ruler, ordinary sewing needles and thread and glue.

Basket making is one of the oldest crafts in the world. It is interesting to note that this is still mostly a manual craft and has never really be successfully copied  by machinery. Humankind has used the art of basket making for centuries using twigs, leaves, reeds and grasses to make useful every day items.

Willow has been a common material for basket making, centre cane is also common this comes from the ratten plant, a creeper that is found in Indonesia. The plant grows to immense lengths sometimes over 200 metres. Leaves and grasses, straw and even animal hair has been used, any natural substance that is pliabe, will bend and form a shape can be used.

Different Types of Basketry

Coiled – uses grasses

Plaiting - uses wide ribbon like leaves such as palms

Twining – uses roots and tree bark. Twining is  actually weaving where the pieces cross over each other.

Wicker - uses reed (rattan core), cane, willow or oak.

Tools Required for Basket Making

Bodkin or Awl – this is similar to a knitting needle but with a wooden handle, side cutters, or sharp secateurs, sharp craft knife, ruler - a 2 foot wooden ruler is best,  round nosed pliers and  a few spring clothes pegs.

Basket Structure

Base Sticks – used for the skeleton of the basket and cut from thick cane.

Weavers - used for weaving over the base sticks and are finer than the base sticks.

Bye-Stakes – used to give added rigidity to the sides of the basket.

Safety Note: sharp knives and cutters are used in basket making always handle them with great care and store away immediately after use.